Nine Trends Spotted at CHA Chicago Summer ’07

Cardstock, chipboard, ribbons, embellishments, tools, adhesives, all on display in one location-it's a scrapper's idea of paradise! For many years now, scrapbooking has been the most popular craft represented at the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) Summer Convention and Trade Show, and this year was no exception. I kept an eye out for trends, both continuations from last year and those that were new this year. I was impressed with Creative Imaginations, because they had something for seven of the nine trends I picked out! Here are the nine trends that I spotted:

Teens Rule

Everywhere I looked companies were carrying products aimed at the teen market. Those skull-and-crossbones motifs so popular in the clothing industry are on papers, stickers, and rub-ons. I also spotted flames, skateboards, pirates, and wings.

• Rusty Pickle Cap'n Jack and Pirate Princess collections
• BasicGrey Obscure collection
• Tinkering Ink Blur collection
• Die Cuts With a View Rockstar collection
• Sassafras Lass Sweet Skully and Whale of a Tale collections
• Karen Foster Designs Pirate and Skater collections
• 2Daisies Designs Heads of the Family paper
• Creative Imaginations Rock Star collection
• Doodlebug Design Teen Girl and Teen Boy collections

Forest Fun

Trees, flowers, and butterflies have been growing in popularity in the scrapping world. Last year owls started popping up on scrapbook papers, and that trend has continued. This year, mushrooms are starting to appear, especially in Li'l Davis Designs papers and a chipboard book!

• Li'l Davis Designs Autumn collection
• Scenic Route Sumner Collection
• SEI Madera Island collection
• Hambly Studios Out on a Limb overlays, Mod Trees rub-ons
• BasicGrey Mellow collection
• Heidi Swapp bird ghost shapes and mask
• Cloud 9 Designs Outdoors papers
• Fontwerks Foliage rub-ons
• The Robin's Nest Outdoor Bliss set
• Creative Imaginations Winter Garden collection
• Sassafras Lass Oliver and Friends stamps
• October Afternoon owl and mushroom transfers and clear stamps

Texture Mania

Bling was big last year, and this year the idea has been expanded. Many companies featured products from papers to rub-ons that included glitter. Not only is glitter big, but also felt, foil and flock. These all add texture and eye-catching sheen to layouts.

• Heidi Swapp chipboard shapes in glossy and metallic, metallic rub-ons, glitter flowers
• Queen & Co adhesive Felt Fusion ribbon
• SEI glitter, foil and shimmer papers; flocked papers
• Around the Block metallic frame tapes, flocking & glitter kits, foil transfer kits
• We R Memory Keepers Foil Glitter Flock rub-on transfers
• Heidi Grace satin, glitter and flocked stickers; glitter flowers; flocked and glitter papers
• Cloud 9 Designs sparkle papers and rub-ons, luster papers
• My Little Shoebox sprinkles chipboard
• Scrapworks shimmer chipboard, textured chipboard
• Creative Imaginations Eclecti-ka embellishments, velvet floral brads, rhinestone and metal floral brads, flocked brads, glitter brads
• Bare Elements foil kits, foil chipboard
• Doodlebug Design Sugar Coating glitter; Sugar Coated brads, chipboard and rub-ons

French Obsession

Harlequins were a popular pattern in the past, but this year crowns and fleur-de-lis have been added to that trend. Many companies have product lines with French names, and there are plenty of French motifs and colors out there as well.

• Prima Belle Fleur flowers
• Daisy D's Autumn Collection
• BasicGrey Periphery collection
• Reminisce French Kitchen
• 7gypsies Calais Rubbings
• Heidi Swapp crown mask, rub-on, and clear stamp
• My Mind's Eye My Little Prince & Pretty as a Princess
• Luxe Designs Chemise line
• Creative Imaginations Destination: Paris collection, Coffee House collection, Gala collection, Marquis collection
• Karen Foster Winery collection
• Anna Griffin Blythe Collection
• Foof-a-la Paris in Spring collection

Patriotic Pride

I saw this trend start last year, but it has certainly grown this year. Not only are there red, white and blue products to choose from, but now you can find plenty of military-themed products as well. I enjoyed seeing the products that reflected the founding of our country, such as Rusty Pickle's Mayflower papers.

• Memories in Uniform G.I. Jacket album with removable cover
• Far and Away Washington D.C. collection
• Daisy Bucket Rock Star collection
• Rusty Pickle Mayflower set
• Scrapworks Motifs Patriots set
• Creative Imaginations Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Serving Our Country, Military collections

Journaling Cards

Although journaling cards are nothing new, they were quite popular at CHA. Many companies are adding them to their product lines, which makes them even easier to use, since they match perfectly with the papers and embellishments. My favorite new cards had to be the ones from KI Memories, called Taglines. These resemble MadLibs, complete with blanks you fill in. I can just see having my kids fill these out for a very fun personalized page.

• My Mind's Eye Daily Dose
• Sweetwater In the Loop journaling cards
• Hambly Studios journaling rub-ons
• Dude Designs Thoughtfuls Cards
• KI Memories Taglines
• Fontwerks Journaling Tags and Cardstock Stickers
• Luxe Designs Jotters
• Creative Imaginations Journaler's Notebook
• Urban Lily Secret Keeper cards

Digital Ease

Digital scrapping is no longer a wave of the future, it's here now. Even if you are a traditional paper-and-glue scrapper, there are many things you can do digitally to add to your paper-and-glue layouts. Companies are coming out with products that appeal to the crossover scrappers, those who want to do a combination of both traditional and digital scrapping. You can even subscribe to a magazine on the subject!

• Digital Scrap Chicks
• Digital Scrapbook Memories Beginner CDs
• Crazy Cat Studios
• Creating Keepsakes Digital Scrapbooking magazine (debuted with the April/May issue)

Neutral Elegance

This trend was just making an appearance a year ago, and is in full force now. Products in black and white and in neutral colors like cream, gold, and tan are everywhere. Pairing black and white with a pop of red is also a big hit. These products work very well with many themes, especially formal events such as weddings, graduations or proms.

• Carolee's Creations Timeless Collection
• 7gypsies Napoli collection
• Sweetwater Basic Black collection
• Imaginisce Now & Forever collection, Black Tie Optional collection
• Your Pictured Memories Silver and Gold collection (papers and chipboard)
• Daisy Bucket Newbury Court collections
• Scrapworks Formal Affair collection
• Creative Imaginations Antique Cream collection
• Anna Griffin Dorothy collection
• Foof-a-la Red, Black and Cream collection

Doodads & Gadgets

I admit, this isn't really a trend, it's just a category to cover a couple of new products that don't fit anywhere else. But I'll bet at least some of these items will inspire other companies to come out with similar products.

• Around the Block PhraseMaker (Remember the old handheld pricing machines that printed out price labels? It's back, and better than ever!)
• Bazzill InStitch'z cardstock and coordinating floss sets (The cardstock is punched with designs for stitching.)
• KI Memories Lace Cardstock (It's a 12" x 12" sheet of cardstock cut in lacy patterns.)
• Your Pictured Memories Pull-Ez Ribbon Purse (This clear container lets you store your ribbons with the ends pulled through holes that are on all four sides.)
• Daisy Bucket Ribbon Elements (This ribbon is made differently from most ribbons, more closely resembling stiff paper. You can shred the ends for a cool look.)
• Scrapworks Motifs stamps (Ten affordable foam stamps are attached together with a chain and come in several different themes.)
• MyBook Adaptable Journals (Similar to their planners, these journals allow you to add photos to your daily journal.)
• Pebbles Inc. Circle Journals (Share a journal with a family member, a friend or a neighbor, because these Circle Journals make it easy.)
• Bare Elements D-Mensions (Chipboard designed to hang on your wall, this can be layered, painted, or covered in paper.)

It's easy to overlook a trend, so I may have missed one or two! Whether I caught them all or not, it was fun to see all the new products. I know there are quite a few I'm eager to spot in my local scrapbook store or online, so I can do a little shopping.

Shop at the Scrapbook.com Superstore for all your Scrapbooking Supplies!
Enjoy 5-Star service, HUGE selection and LOW prices!
Click here to start shopping!